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Parents' Guide to

Elf Pets: Santa's Reindeer Rescue

By Barbara Shulgasser-Parker, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 4+

Elves' magic helps reindeer team with Santa's sleigh ride.

Movie NR 2018 26 minutes
Elf Pets: Santa's Reindeer Rescue Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

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age 6+

Based on 2 parent reviews

MommyTT
MommyTT Parent of 5-year-old
December 27, 2021
age 8+

A tricky commercial for some trademarked stuffed animals…

My daughter came home from kindergarten telling me about some ElfPet story and how if you were REALLY good you’d get one with your elf on the shelf. Well we dont have a little spy elf… I thought I was throwing her a bone by watching this with her and I completely regret it. It is just a loosely (very loosely) veiled commercial for an additional elf on the shelf product. The family literally get the toy, in its actual packaging, opens it and reads the attached book. It was appalling. So of course my daughter looked for her pet on Christmas to see if she was good enough. Yuck yuck yuck. Commercialism at its worst.
CreativeMom2
CreativeMom2 Adult
November 12, 2020
age 4+

Festive Fun for families

Boo to any adult who writes reviews of this movie (which is meant for kids) and doesn't appreciate that at least it has a moral compass (touting virtues of faith and love) and is not mind-numbingly boring like other kid's movies ie: Spongebob and Paw Patrol Christmas. There is not any more consumerism attached to this, than any of those other cartoons. Honestly, my kids loved it! So did my husband and I. So, even though you can probably expect an ask for the product, the idea is full of imagination--getting to help Santa Claus. Plus, when was the last time your kids begged for a book, especially ones that coincide with our family values? We have watched and rewatched. The songs are super cute, too. Of course, they are a little sticky so you'll catch yourself humming one or two long after you have watched. To each their own, but we really liked it.
See all 2 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Those familiar with Elf on the Shelf toys will know the original story -- parents purchase toys advertised as "magical" elves that monitor children's behavior and report back to the North Pole every night. In ELF PETS: SANTA'S REINDEER RESCUE, those elves enlist human kids to take on mini-reindeer as pets to help carry Santa's sleigh. The animated short features a few songs and will provide a nice tie-in to kids who already have the toys this movie advertises. The movie is written and directed by Chanda Bell. She and her twin sister Christa Pitts and their mom, Carol Aebersold, wrote and self-published The Elf on the Shelf: A Christmas Tradition, the original children's book that helped launch The Elf on the Shelf toy company in 2004.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (2 ):
Kids say (3 ):

Nothing about Elf Pets: Santa's Reindeer Rescue is particularly original, delightful, or offensive. For kids who have the toys being advertised here, this 26-minute animation may provide a harmless diversion. The story doesn't make much sense as it's taken up with solving a seemingly non-existent problem. Santa's sleigh has always worked just fine until now, hasn't it? Why are mini-reindeer necessary? Is there a shortage of regular-sized ones? Why do kids need to temporarily own the latest product, stuffed mini-reindeer (shown in the company's recognizable plastic packaging), and keep them at home when the final goal is to grow them big and strong enough so they can go back to Santa to guide his sleigh?

Muddy logic aside, the best thing this has going for it is that kids like to contemplate the pre-Christmas work Santa and his elves perform to get everyone their presents.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about different holiday traditions. Some families that celebrate Christmas buy elf toys that are supposed to watch kids and report each night to Santa on their behavior. Do you do that at your house?

  • What are some other holiday traditions that don't require buying toys advertised by this film?

  • Why is it fun to think about magical powers and a sleigh that can fly thousands of miles through the air?

Movie Details

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